familypediawikiaorg-20200214-history
Annie Cummings (1905-1999)
Annie Cummings (1905-1999) Greenaway. She was a Montserratian soprano that migrated to the United States. Parents *Earnest Cummings (1872-1923) *Mary Dauway (1883-?) Singing The approximately four hundred persons who filled the main floor of the auditorium of the Union Congregational Church, West 118th street on Sunday afternoon last to hear Annie Cummings Greenaway, soprano, in recital, were amply rewarded for their efforts. The singer was in fine voice. She was accompanied on the piano by Gwendolyn Francis. who also assisted with three numbers. Mrs. Greenaway has an excellent voice, capable in all registers. She attains the higher brackets with little noticeable effort. divulging a tone of bell-like clarity. Sunday afternoon she sang numbers in Italian, French. German and English including Spirituals. She soloist opened her progress with a group of three numbers: "Rendi l'Serene, al Ciglio" by Handel, "Vissi D'Art, Vissi D'Amore" by Puccini, and Carl Bohn's "Still Wie Die Nacht." Another group of three numbers followed, the final one of which was Verdi's Aria: "Caro Nome Che il Mie Cur." Miss Francis then intervened with three well executed visor numbers including "Arabesque" in E Major, and Brahms' "Rhapsody in G Major." Mrs. Greenaway's reappearance brought a group of three number by Huerta, Schumann and Sanderson. Then came another group which included "The Wren" by J. Benedict. Three Spirituals: "Oh Didn't It Rain," "I Stood on the Ribber of Jordan," and "Little David Play on Your Harp," arrangements by Burleigh, brought the program to a close. Mrs. Greenaway is a member of the choir of Union Congregational Church. She was presented with several bouquets of flowers, Miss Francis received two. Biography Soprano Annie Cummings Greenaway was born at Mount Pleasant, St Peter's in 1905 to Mary Doway Cummings and Arthur Payne sic. Her mother migrated to Trinidad when Annie was only three years old and later to the United States leaving her under the guardianship of a devoted aunt, Ethel Allen, and the support of a caring extended family. She was fortunate therefore not to have suffered the deprivation experienced by many who shared her absentee parent circumstances Destiny had marked her out for stardom, and she did not lack for nurture. The seeds of her illustrious career were sown in early childhood when the St Peter's Parish priest drafted her into the church choir at age 11, he recognized the youthful beauty of her voice. Her mother, distant but supportive, played her part by paying for piano lessons for which she journeyed to St John's thrice weekly where Annie Kimon Daley instructed her. Annie Cummings joined her mother in the USA in 1923 where she sought to earn a living in a cloth factory on 135th Street in New York; but her native talent and sense of purpose led her to high school and on to the New York College of Music which she attended for three years She then took up singing seriously, but continued to receive training in voice and piano from a succession of tutors. Thus her voice became honed and her music blossomed befitting an artist poised for international acclaim and enthusiastic reviews. As Dr. J.A. Irish pointed out in his commemorative booklet on Annie Greenaway, the church provided her, as it did many black singers, with an opening stage and a supportive audience. In 1936 she became the lead singer in the Union Congregational Church choir where she exercised her talent with poise and dignity" and served her God for some 16 years On May 30, 1945, she broke down ..." External links * *Annie Cummings (1905-1999) Greenaway at Geni (free registration required to view) References Category:Non-SMW people articles Category:Annie Cummings (1905-1999)